


Awkward Kiss

by sbuggbot



Category: SteamWorld Dig (Video Games)
Genre: ADHD coding, Asexual Character, Autism Coding, Awkward Kissing, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Use, They're just friends, it doesn't work out, no seriously
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-12-06 23:01:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18226565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sbuggbot/pseuds/sbuggbot
Summary: In a moment of poor judgment and impulse control, Dorothy pulls a stunt on her friend that makes things weird and uncomfortable on both ends.Takes place during SteamWorld Dig.





	Awkward Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> I learned on Twitter yesterday that Image and Form has read the SteamWorld fics and I'm still reeling from that fact. Nothing on the internet prepared me for acknowledgement from the devs themselves.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy this fic that goes into Rusty and Dorothy's relationship (and some of my headcanons, too).

If you knew how much Dorothy liked to climb on things, you probably wouldn't be too shocked to find that she enjoyed sitting on the roof of her shop at night. She'd sometimes spend hours looking at the stars and letting her mind wander to far-off lands.

Until recently, she hadn't had anyone to share this experience with. It wasn't safe for her father to attempt climbing around with only one leg, and Lola simply wasn't built for that kind of activity. (Not that she wasn't strong, mind you--she was practically her own bouncer.) Nobody else in Dorothy's life was permanent enough or close enough to her for her to consider sharing this experience with.

Then Rusty arrived one day, and both of them became fast friends. So of course she had to show him. And Rusty seemed to really enjoy the peacefulness that simply wasn't there inside or even at ground level. It was just them, the stars, and a couple drinks.

She glanced over at Rusty, who was distracted by the sky above and fiddling with the bandana around his neck. Dorothy got an idea, one she couldn't help but act on in her buzzed state.

“‘ey, Rusty.”

He looked over at her. “Mm?”

“C'mere, I got somethin’ for ya.”

Confused, Rusty leaned forward a bit. They were sitting right next to each other; why did Dorothy need him to come closer? Or want him to?

Dorothy grabbed him by the shoulders, pulled him closer still, and kissed Rusty right on the mouth.

Rusty wouldn't have been more shocked if he had woken up with his head welded to the floor. He flailed his arms, the bottle in his hand flung elsewhere a ways away from the building. He leaned away from Dorothy and lost his balance, slipping off the roof with a yelp. It was followed by a thump and a pained screech.

“Rusty?!” Dorothy scrambled closer to the edge but couldn't get a good look at him. “Rusty, are you ok?” She got a pained gasp in response, so Dorothy climbed down as quickly as she could.

Rusty had landed directly on his back and on his pipe. Hitting his pipe always hurt like scrap. Landing on it caused too much pain for it to be felt in that one area, so it radiated up his shoulders and down his arms as well. He was downright overwhelmed by it.

Dorothy helped him sit up, his arms curling towards his chest as he did so. “Aw scrap, your pipe's bent up,” Dorothy told him. There was an extra bend that shouldn't have been there, and it partially crimped Rusty's exhaust pipe shut. “I'm sorry, let's go see my daddy so he can fix this.”

“Ngh.” Words were too difficult for him right now. They got up and headed over. Good thing Cranky's was right next door; Rusty was wobbly on his feet.

Dorothy tapped on the door and let herself in. “Daddy? Rusty needs ya to fix something,” she hollered into the front room as she walked in. Rusty followed her in after a moment.

Cranky was already pulling over his swiveling work chair. He preferred using it when he was working inside; it was easier than relying on his crutch if he needed to grab something from across the room. “What'd ye break this time?” Rusty turned and pointed at his pipe. “How'd ye manage that up here?!” Cranky was expecting a little dent or a sticking joint, not a partially collapsed pipe!

“I fell.” A pause, and Cranky gave Rusty a confused look. “From Dot's roof.”

“So that's what that screamin’ was ‘bout. Couldnae get a look from me window.”

Dorothy elaborated on what happened (even leaving in the fact she kissed Rusty, to his mild surprise). Cranky passed no comment.

It didn't take too long for Cranky to straighten out the kink in Rusty's pipe. Any professional repairbot worth their salt had the tools to fix exhaust pipes. Rusty remained silent and couldn't bear to look at Dorothy the whole time. Having a brimmed hat was good if you needed to hide for a while.

Dorothy regretted letting her lack of impulse control get the better of her (again). She had gotten Rusty hurt and clearly embarrassed him. At least she could help her father fix him by fetching tools and such, but it didn't really make her feel any better about herself.

Rusty went to pay Cranky, but the elder bot shook his head. “Won't charge ye fer this fix,” he said. “I ought tae cover damages caused by family.”

“Daddy!” Dorothy squeaked in embarassment. Wasn't she a little old for him to be doing that still? It was one thing when she was a hyper wild child, but this was different.

“Ye can cover it yerself if ye want, but I ain't chargin’ Rusty.”

Rusty nodded and hurried out; he had had enough excitement for the day.

Now that his client was gone, Cranky could focus on his daughter. He could tell she was beating herself up over what she did. “Honey…”

The dam broke. “Why did I do that?! I finally get to make a friend who isn't going to be gone in a week and what do I do? I let my stupid brain make me do a stupid thing and I drive him away!” Dorothy choked down a sob and crumpled to the floor. “I don't even have feelings for him! I'm so dumb.”

“Yer naw dumb,” Cranky said. “Yer head ticks a little differently than most ‘bot's an’ it's alright. Ye make mistakes sometimes. An’ Rusty knows you. I'm sure he'll forgive ye once he's calmed down some.”

“You're sure?”

“Positive,” he replied. “His head ticks differently, too, an’ ye know it. Jus’ give him some time.”

* * *

 Rusty continued to avoid Dorothy over the next several days as much as he could. He even tried paying Cranky for an upgrade with mined resources so he didn't have to go visit Dorothy, but Cranky wasn't having it. Dorothy felt that blow the way one felt an ice pick to the chest.

The fourth day Rusty had given her the silent treatment, Dorothy decided she couldn't wait on him any longer. As he was leaving, she said, “Rusty, wait.”

He paused but didn't turn around.

“I'm sorry about...that thing last week.” Dorothy stared at the counter, feeling the weight of the world on her. _Only one shot at this,_ she thought. “Shouldn't have grabbed and kissed you like that.”

Rusty turned his head a bit towards her, but not quite enough for him to see her. But he _was_ listening.

She continued, “It...it felt weird for me too. I don't think I would’ve liked it even if you hadn’t reacted like you did…”

Deafening silence.

“I just want to be friends,” Dorothy finished. “But I get it if you don't want to anymore.”

Rusty finally turned around to look at Dorothy directly. She was staring at his boots and trembling with emotion. “I like bein’ friends,” he mumbled.

Dorothy snapped her head up. “Y’ do? You don't hate my gears?” she blurted out.

“No!! I was jus’ shy.” He hid under his hat brim again. “‘m not into dating other bots. Girl or boy. Was scared you'd still be all-” he waved his hand in an attempt to get his point across.

Dorothy shook her head. “I regretted it the moment you fell off the roof. Thought I'd just drove you off for good.” She hugged herself and frowned, not wanting to think about how lonely she had been in the past.

Rusty looked at her, and after a moment of thought, he hugged her, loosely at first. Dorothy let go of her arms and latched onto him. Seeing that his hug was accepted, Rusty went ahead and hugged her tighter.

 

They were best friends, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> Autocorrect and Grammarly really didn't like Cranky's dialect. I imagine it would have been even worse if I had gone full Scottish Twitter on his dialogue, but I didn't want his lines to be too difficult to read for the casual reader.


End file.
